>> all right. we'll be back in 25 minutes with a local news update. >> please join us again for a full hour and a half of news starting at 9:00. see you then. good morning. hunt for a killer. authorities reveal a body discovered in suburban denver belongs to the 10-year-old girl who vanished on her way to school. police, parents on edge. police say a predator is at large. we're live on the scene. shots fid. a bullet shattered the glass at one of president obama's campaign offices in denver. and a young boy with a prosthetic leg crossed the finish le thanks to this proud marine. we'll tell you about that emotional escort. today is saturday, october 13th, 2012. >> from nbc news, this is

"today," with lester holt and tamron hall. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a saturday morning. i'm lester holt. >> and i'm tamron hall. it is the ending that no one wanted. after a week-long search, police say the body they found earlier this week is that of little jessica ridgeway, the 10-year-old girl who disappeared after she was headed off to elementary school a week ago. >> i was actually in denver this week when they found the body. unable to identify it. but parents especially very scared, very angry about this whole thing. there is a predator on the loose, a killer. >> the investigation is continuing. we're going to talk about that in a moment. also ahead, with just three days to go until the next presidential debate, the candidates have a busy weekend campaigning and preparing for their next showdown. take a look at how they're getting ready, especially in light of their running mate's performances on thursday night. >> it was a big night. i was in kentucky.

a lot going on there for that debate. and space shuttle endeavor normally flies around the globe at more than 17,000 miles per hour. this morning, it is making its way through the streets of l.a. california dreaming at about two miles per hour, inching its way toward the california science center. thousands of people turning out to watch. going to check on its progress in just a little while can. you imagine being able to look out your window and see that? that's the coolest thing ever. >> i feel sorry for the guys looking good, looking good, and the guy who measured it to the inch. >> their hearts racing. i told you to the left! >> good luck to that. also, it's as if no time has passed between these three. the stars of "the carol burnett show" are just as sharp and funny as they were in the late '60s. a look back at the good times they had on the show we all grew to love. >> i wanted to be carol burnett.

also laverne from laverne and cher lee. plus, prince harry, proof it's not just for show. but let's begin with the devastating news out of colorado. authorities confirming the body found in a field belongs to the missing 10-year-old jessica ridgeway. leanne greg is live in westminster, colorado, with the latest. >> reporter: good morning, tamron. it's the worst possible news after days of hope and prayers that they would find her alive. and now the investigation shifts from a search for jessica to the search for her killer. authorities found a body that they described as not intact on wednesday in an open space less than ten miles from jessica's home. dna tests revealed it was her. police say the 10-year-old was abducted walking to school eight days ago. they say it happened less than two blocks from her home. as for suspects, no word other than jessica's family has been

ruled out. >> i want to stress that we recognize that there is a predator at large in our community. i want the community to know that we are doing everything within our power to apprehend that individual, and we are committed to doing everything within our power to keep our community, and especially our children, our most precious commodities, safe. >> reporter: investigators have already searched more than 500 homes, more than a thousand vehicles and followed up on more than 1,500 tips. they say in the future they will say little about specifics of the investigation, fearing it could jeopardize the case. tamron? >> thank you very much. here's lester. turning now to presidential politics and the candidates gearing up for their second debate this tuesday. this as we learn that someone fired shots at one of president obama's denver campaign offices.

nbc's ron mott is in youngstown, ohio. >> reporter: lester, good morning to you. surprise, surprise, we're back in ohio. that's how important this state is going forward. both campaigns spending a lot of time in the buckeye state. that's perhaps why we saw governor romney and paul ryan reuniting last night in lancaster, ohio. big crowd down there, about 8,500 jammed into the town square. but there is some ground to be made up for this campaign. polls show that president obama is still holding a lead over governor romney in ohio. but those polls also show that the governor is closing in, within striking distance now of the president. speaking of the president, he also was in ohio this week and admitted publicly that he had a bad night out in denver for that first presidential debate. obviously a lot of republicans and democrats agreed with his assessment. the president said he was too polite and that voters can expect him to see him being a

lot more active in the second debate up at hofstra university in new york. back here in ohio, paul ryan's got a big day here. he's got two stops in ohio, starting with this rally a little later this morning, and then he'll go up to minnesota before ending the night in wisconsin. he's expected to take sunday off the trail, little rest for the weary, if you will. earlier, i sat down with "morning joe," asking them how they thought undecided voters would react to all the fireworks. >> i think the undecided said you know what? we'll watch some baseball this week. some football. and we'll wait for the main event again next week. we'll see if the president can rebound. both sides gave their base what they needed. joe biden came out -- he was a fighter. democrats have been so depressed over the past week over the president's lackluster performance. a lot like republicans were in 2004 after george w. bush had a horrible first debate against

john kerry. as far as paul ryan goes, his job was to do no harm, to hold serve and i think he did that. >> both did what they were supposed to do. in fact, with the presidential debate that came before, everybody wanted more from the president. and so i don't think joe biden had any choice but to go in there and to get it done a that's what he did. >> i found myself wondering, what if someone had watched this debate with the sound down? you think it would have a difference? >> not a lot like watching "morning joe" with the sound down. he was joyful, he was laughing, talk about biden, obviously. he was engaged, colorful, animated, and he was aggressive. he did that as well in terms of style. but he also brought substance to the table as well. so i don't think it can just be a conversation about the way he performed. >> if you turn down the volume, you would have seen a lot of eye rolls. he didn't seem presidential or vice presidential. he had a few moments here and there. his job was to fire up the base and that's what he did. >> at the end of the day, this

may come down to three states. nbc has been keeping a close eye on ohio, virginia, and florida. a week after the presidential debate, we saw the president's lead in ohio go from eight points down to six points. virginia had the president at a two-point edge at the end of september, now it's romney by one. does the vp debate change any momentum either way here? >> absolutely not. if joe biden had a terrible night, it would have been a real problem. the bleeding would have continued. that narrative would have continued. this is a ticket that's out of touch, they have no idea where they want to take the country and can't explain what happened the past four years. you got a joe biden who was engaged, who did something the president didn't do. he defended the stimulus. he defended the auto bailout. he defended obama care. he defended what democrats wanted the president to defend. >> i have to ask you about early voting. it's becoming a bigger and bigger thing. it's almost changed the ground rules of running for president. how does that affect where we're going to end up? >> i think there are people who

are literally making a decision right now. >> forget about the next debate. >> the presidential debate was a problem because of that. i think there were a lot of people that stopped and said whoa, what's going on here? so i think joe biden helped them believe, well, i think the jobs numbers helped end the week well and moved the conversation forward. foreclosures are down. housing prices are going up. consumer confidence is going up. the stock market is going up. there's a lot this president can sell and he better get selling it. >> a lot of us in the news, in the political analysis business, we always like to go back to past wars. generals always like to fight the last wars. this race might be a lot like 1980 where it's tight until the end and ronald reagan sweeps past jimmy carter. the fact is in 1980 you didn't have early voting. the fact is this race would have been over -- even romney's own people understood. if he didn't perform well in the first debate the race would have been over. it makes it a lot harder to predict with these rolling

dates. >> timing may be everything. good to have you both on. >> great to be here. >> you can catch "morning joe" weekdays starting at 6:00 a.m. eastern time. now let's get a look at the morning's other top stories from tom over at the news desk. >> good morning, tamron and lester. good morning, everyone. a mother and four children are homeless but lucky to be alive. their home in castle rock, colorado, was completely destroyed friday but what officials believe was a natural gas explosion. the woman and kids were hurt, but their injuries were said to be non-life threatening. the surrounding homes have been temporarily uninhabitable. another house was badly damaged when an suv crashed into it. the suv plowed through the house in lexington, kentucky, waking up the homeowners. >> it's pretty scary. i was laying in bed and the vehicle came right through the corner of the bedroom, barely missed the bed.

i have no living room or half of a house left. >> police say the three people in the suv had been drinking. they tried to run but were caught nearby. the texas mother who beat her toddler and glued the child's hands to a wall has been sentenced to 99 years in prison. her family sobbed in the courtroom as the judge delivered the sentence on friday. officials say she attacked 2-year-old jocelyn in september 2011 because of problems with potty training. a woman has file whad may be the first of several lawsuits related to the fungal meningitis outbreak. the woman who lives in minnesota says she received a steroid shot and had meningitis symptoms. there have been 185 confirmed cases of meningitis linked to contaminated steroid injections. 14 people have died. the injections are commonly used to treat chronic pain. american airlines is making sure its boeing 757s don't have the same seating problems.

it's adding a locking device to prevent them from coming loose during a flight. the primary seat locking mechanism is the same as the one found on the 757s. the planes were all grounded last week so the airline can install the same security locking device. apple is ready to roll out its highly anticipated mini ipad. the event is expected to take place october 23rd. analysts have been predicting for months that apple was working on a smaller, less expensive ipad. it will challenge other devices such as amazon's kindle fire hd. there are those people out there that want something bigger than an iphone, smaller than an ipad. some people are never happy. >> i've had the latest phone now for what, a week? i hate doing that.

>> the iphone. you're going to buy it. >> you're that guy. >> i'm that guy. maria la rosa from the weather channel is here looking at me like i'm crazy. >> no, i'm with you. >> i'll save you a star on the sidewalk. could be a rough day in the midsection? >> absolutely. it's starting off already. we have a lot of showers and thun so much going on in that area. lots of college game match ups as well. you can see by the radar lots of heavy rain. that is going to be the silver lining for this weather system because it is going to bring a lot of much needed rain to the area. we're talking anywhere from 1 to 2 plus inches. those are the areas in orange and red. obviously over the last several months talking about drought there. across the rest of the country though fairly quiet. we're starting off with a chill

in the northeast and mid-atlantic. looks likes a nice day in the southeast with morning fog there and things picking up in the northwest as well. rain continues there today from seattle to portland. that is a look at the weather across the country. here is a look what you can expect. a very good saturday morning to you. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell. your weekend is under way. a beautiful, clear sky outside first thing this morning but it is awfully chilly. 42 now downtown but 32 in manassas. 30 degrees in gaithersburg and northern montgomery county. and 28 in frederick, maryland. 29 in martinsburg, west virginia. no rain expected today. just 100% sunshine. it is going to stay on the cool side. today's highs upper 50s and that's a look at your weather. lester, over the you. now to what we're being told is a looming threat against the united states from iran. not a nuclear weapon, but a cyber attack. the secretary of defense says it could create havoc across the country. more now from nbc's pentagon correspondent.

>> reporter: it's predicted that cyber space will become the world's next major battlefield, but in a national call to arms, defense secretary leon panetta warns the threat of a significant cyber attack against america is already here. >> the collective result of these kinds of attacks could be a cyber pearl harbor. >> reporter: panetta warned that cyber attackers have tried to shut down america's critical infrastructure. power, water, transportation, and major financial institutions. >> such a destructive cyber terrorist attack could virtually paralyze the nation. >> reporter: while russia and china are prime suspects, for the first time, u.s. officials blame iran for the recent jump in cyber attacks. defense officials tell nbc news iran was behind a recent series of attempts to disable the websites of several major u.s. banks. those attacks failed. but another iranian cyber attack nearly shut down saudi arabia's

state oil company. using a sophisticated virus called shamoon, the iranians destroyed 30,000 computers. experts say this complex attack should be a warning to the u.s. >> we do not have the proper level of security within the financial sector, the oil and gas sector of any of our critical infrastructures. >> reporter: officials say if iran poses any threat, the u.s. could launch its own cyber attack to shut down iran's entire electrical system. pa net that warns, however, the internet is a battlefield filled with many enemies and that the u.s. must do more to combat this growing threat. 16 minutes past the hour. here's tamron. >> the main attraction in los angeles this weekend has nothing to do with hollywood or even entertainment. folks have been lining up to see the space shuttle endeavor as it makes its way to its permanent home in southern los angeles. the two-day move is a logistical challenge like no other.

>> reporter: even in the smallest hours of the night, the shuttle endeavor, beginning its 26th and final mission, drew clouds of admirers. >> to be that close to it, it was very, very exciting. >> reporter: and where endeavor once circled the planet at 17,320 miles an hour, now it was being pulled at two miles an hour. its five-story height and 75-foot wingspan just clearing one carefully surveyed obstacle after another. >> last night i saw it was about two inches away. >> reporter: it was born in southern california, one reason nasa chose the science center for a final tiedown. it's a dream realized for kenneth phillips, who has long realized his city to get a feel for the danger and romance of space flight. >> it's the real deal you're looking at. >> reporter: and look at it

they've been doing. thousands along the 12-mile route of what has been called the mother of all parades in his city. >> it's just an icon of america. >> really a phenomenal experience. >> reporter: there have been complainted about the 400 trees cut down along the route, though they'll be replaced two for one. some residents, the fact that they can't get close to the spectacle in their neighborhood. >> they're going to close off the streets so that we can't even be on the sidewalk. >> reporter: but endeavor's logbook is about to record its final entry. it's the real thing. >> every scorch mark you see, every dent that you see, everything that is there is revealing what the orbiter did and why it did it. >> reporter: it's the real thing. its work done now headed for home. once again, here's lester. >> if you're a parent, you try hard to capture every moment of your children's lives with your camera.

but because she was always taking the pictures, one mom blogger says she realized she wasn't in most of her kids' pictures and that's when she started posting. >> careful. >> reporter: like many parents with young children, allison tate, a mother of four, was everywhere in their lives, but nowhere in their pictures. >> i'm not standing in front of the waterfalls with my 8-year-old. i knew i was not in pictures with my kids. i avoid the camera. i know i avoid the camera. >> reporter: recently at a family party, she had every intention of remaining behind the sceneses. >> i was kind of a mess. my 5-year-old boy said mommy, come be in the photo booth with me. i'm thinking how does my chin look? do i need to move this way? >> but i did it. >> reporter: and that's when it dawned on her. of the thousands of pictures of her kids, she was in almost none of them and she blogged about it

for "huffington post." >> someday i want them to see me documented sitting right there beside them, me, the woman who gave birth to them. me, who cried when i drove them to preschool. i want to be in the picture to give them that visual memory of me. i want them to see how much i am here, how my body looks wrapped around them in a hug, how much they are loved. >> reporter: the message went viral, viewed almost six million times. thousands of readers even sent photos and shared their own stories. erin had to dig through 11,000 pictures of her 4-year-old son to find one with her in it. anna sent these pictures of the last mother's day she had with her kids. her 12-year-old son died last year. >> every once in a while, someone says something and everybody nods and this is one of those posts where allison said something and mothers everywhere nodded. >> i want them to see the way i looked at them, see how much i love them. i'm not perfect to look at and i

am not perfect to love but i am perfectly their mother. >> reporter: bringing their life into focus in pictures with her kids. >> very interesting. there was a time -- i mean, i'm a kid of the '70s -- when the whole family would gather and take that family picture and you don't do that anymore. for this mom, obviously, she wanted to avoid the camera. but i love that she's opened her heart and really sparked a conversation. >> nobody ever uses that little timer thing anymore. >> and dad's not in it. dad's arm is in it but nothing else. >> half the face. >> i like that story a lot. there's a lot more to come on "today" on a saturday. still ahead, remember this guy, the florida millionaire who adopted his girlfriend before being convicted of dui manslaughter? he's back behind barcelona. we're going to tell you why. but first, this is "today" on nbc. [ mitt romney ] look at the evidence of the last four years.

under the president's policies, middle income americans have been buried. they're just being crushed. middle-income americans have seen their income come down by $4,300. this is a tax in and of itself. i'll call it the economy tax. i'm not going to raise taxes on anyone. my plan is to bring down rates to get more people working. my priority is putting people back to work in america. i'm mitt romney and i approve this message.

still to come on "today," an amazing story. a young cancer survivor carried across the finish line of a triathlon by a marine after his prosthetic leg broke. this morning, that young man, his parents and the hero marine are all here live. plus, 45 years later, i'll catch up with the stars of "the carol burnett show."

good morning. it is 7:26 on this saturday, october 13th. i'm richard jordan topping your news today in a stunning turn of events the nationals are staying home for the winter. at one point the nats were leading the cardinals 6-0 in the winner take all game five but the cards stormed back winning the game 9-7 and knocking the nationals right out of the playoffs. next up for the cardinals they head west to play the san francisco giants in the national league championship series. alexandria police are working to try to solve a rash of at least three violent sexual assaults on women. the latest happened thursday night near the intersection of van dorn street and courtney avenue. the victim told police the hispanic man pulled a knife on her and demanded money.

when she says she didn't have any he pulled her into some bushes and then he says he assaulted her. storm team 4 meteorologist

thee we are waking up to another cold morning but let's find out when we might see a warm up. >> good morning to you. a good saturday morning everybody. what a beautiful morning outside. the sun is up already. and a mostly clear sky. but woo did it get cold last night especially out to the north and west of i-95. it's 34 now in gaithersburg and leesburg. 29 in martinsburg, west virginia. 32 winchester and front royal. there is your saturday forecast. plenty of sunshine today. no problems with that but highs today only into the upper 50s and low 60s. on the cool side today turning windy and much, much warmer tomorrow. redskins game tomorrow, 75

degrees at kickoff. no problems there, richard. >> thanks. we have another news update in 25 minutes but now back to the "today" show. we're back on this saturday morning, october 13th, 2012. it's a cold day here in new york city. but that's okay. the iconic ice skating rink just opened this morning. i'm tamron hall here with lester holt. are we supposed to be excited? >> you know what? i've worked in this building nine years, i've never skated on that rink. >> you haven't? >> you want to do that? >> let's make a date. >> let's do that. >> and whoever falls first buys breakfast. >> it's going to be an early breakfast. for one of us. coming up in this half-hour, a real hero story. when a young cancer survivor's prosthetic leg came loose in the middle of a triathlon, one of the marines who was there to

help the young athlete jumped into action. this picture just takes my breath away. he helped the child across the finish line. lucky enough to talk with them live in just a few minutes. >> that's a great story. plus, it's been decades since her hit show was on the air, but in all that time, carol burnett has still not missed a beat. she and the stars of "the carol burnett show" sat down with me for some laughs and a look back at their show. everybody has their favorite skits. we talk about a lot of them. later, we'll look at ben affleck's new movie, it's called "argo" based on a true story during a dark time in our nation's history. could it earn him another oscar? we want to begin with the florida millionaire who's back behind bars. he's a polo mogul convict of dui manslaughter earlier this year. his case made national headlines, especially when he tried to adopt his girlfriend to protect his fortune. this morning, he's back in a jail cell.

tanh truonng has more. >> reporter: it's back to jail. an ankle bracelet tracked him, but authorities say goodman used the hand mirror to bust open the device. >> there was cracks in the side of the casing. there was scratch marks at that same location. >> reporter: investigators say goodman initially told them the bracelet somehow came off while he was in the shower. but at friday's court hearing, deputies testified this was no accident. >> what would need to be done to cause that kind of breakage to the case? >> that would take purposeful directive force. >> reporter: goodman's lawyer claims the prosecution has its ankle monitors mixed up. >> a different serial number for the gps model than what was

entered into evidence. in preparation for this hearing, we could try to resolve this issue. >> reporter: this all goes back to a deadly night in 2010 when prosecutors say goodman rammed his bentley into scott wilson's car and never stopped to help. before his conviction, goodman adopted his girlfriend to protect his riches, but the local sheriff says goodman can't hide behind his wealth in this latest violation. >> guess what, that don't happen here. he gets treated just like every other person that's in my custody. he violates the rules, he's back in the jail. >> no judge is going to want john goodman to try to be above the law, whether it's drunk driving, leaving the scene of an accident or violating conditions of bail by trying to smash the gps device. >> reporter: goodman will be back in court in november when the judge will decide if his current stay in jail will be an extended one. for "today," tanh truong, nbc

news. >> i'm not sure i have my winter skin yet, but it's probably too late. let's get another check of the weather to find out what this is all about. >> maria has another check of the weather. in a coat. >> and i have hand warmers in the pockets. we're actually seeing some records fall already. no surprise, you do have the frost and freeze warnings and advisories posted all across the northeast this morning. newark set a new this is going to be the coldest of the next few. look at the temperatures. 38 new york city. binghamton 28. a record low. as we look ahead we are going to see a warm up a bit. it's that central system bringing severe weather today through the central plains on up into parts of midwest that'll eventually bring some warmer air our way but not until tomorrow. here is a look at what you can expect. good saturday morning to you. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist

chuck bell. we have a beautiful weekend on the way. plenty of sunshine saturday and a decent amount on sunday. we're off to a cold start this morning. temperatures mid 30s in the western suburbs to right around 40 degrees in town. mid 40s right along the western shore of the chesapeake bay. plenty of sunshine today but staying cool. not as windy as yesterday. today's highs upper 50s and low 60s. back into the >> and we have to give a 50 fabulous shoutout to you. where are you from? >> california. >> and your favorite football team is? >> california panthers. >> the green bay packers taking on the houston texans in houston as we get into sunday. a few showers and thunderstorms. we'll watch the radar for this one. temperatures about 77 to 81 for the kickoff. you always check out that forecast, your local weather any time on weather.com. lester and tamron, back to you. >> thanks very much. still to come, my conversation with the stars of

"the carol burnett show." a look back at the show that made us laugh for so many years. and talk about an inspirational story. a young try athleathlete's prosg breaks, but a marine was there to save the day. [ female announcer ] there's surprising news about whole grain.

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firsthand recently. the 11-year-old boy was running the last half of a kid's triathlon when his prosthetic leg gave way. moments later a u.s. marine jumped in with several of his comrades and carried ben across that finish line. ben, his parents and the marine who picked him up are all with us. good morning, everyone. thank you for joining us. you are the cutest thing that i've seen. you know that? >> yeah. >> yeah. and modest. i love this kid. you know, i have to say i've read the story, i've seen the video. it is amazing each time. you were right there and you're weight on your child to finish this race and you don't see him. you don't know what's happened. when did you realize hey, wait a minute, he's delayed here coming across this finish line? >> i was standing at the finish line waiting for him. he had just ran an 8:22 mile a couple weeks earlier, so i knew it shouldn't be too long.

he just didn't show up and i had no idea what was happening on the course until the announcers said turn around, i want you to see what's happening. a physically challenged child had trouble and marine picked him up and is carrying him in. about that time i started crying. >> you just started crying. private first class morgan, how did you get to the point where he's on your back? >> well, there was a lot of marines out there, 22 to be exact. all day what we were doing is just looking out for the kids. picking up the kids who had scraped their knees or fallen off their bikes. but we just finished the bike portion and me and another marine were walking back, and we sat there and gave some encouragement, yelled at some of the kids. you know, go, go, go! and he came running up and we saw him. we were cheering. and all of a sudden he just fell down. so like every other kid that day, i ran over as fast as i could, and by the time i got to him, he was already on his foot

and he was reattaching the prosthetic, or trying to. and when i asked him do you need help, he looked at me and said no, i'm going to finish the race. after a couple more moments, though, he figured out he wasn't going to be able to reattach it. >> so whose idea was it for him to get on your back? >> it was mine. he didn't want a free ride. >> you were like i don't want a free ride, i want to finish this thing. and you got on there and finished. what did it feel like to hear those people cheering? when you look at that picture, you did it. felt good? >> uh-huh. >> i know you've got to be proud of this kid. he's amazing. >> very proud of ben. since the day he's been amputated, he really hasn't ever given up. >> and you made the decision -- he was fighting cancer. no decision any parent ever wants to make. >> no, it's not. and that was the first thing that the doctor told us after his biopsy, is your son has

cancer and we recommend amputation. >> well, there you are. you finished this race there. are a lot of kids watching. i told you i think you've got the face of a disney star. so what do you tell the kids at home when they want to give up or they don't know how to keep going, what's your advice? >> just keep trying. >> just keep trying. >> and that's what you did. and you finished. high five. i feel like i'm with a little hero. thank you. congratulations on raising such an amazing boy. of course, thank you for serving this country and your comrades who were there with us. give everybody a big hug. we're so proud of you. you are awesome. and by the way, he picked out the penguin on his prosthetic leg. we're going to treat you to a free trip to the zoo. i just volunteered the "today" show. i'll get lester's credit card, we'll pay for it. she keeps us laughing even after all these years. lester sits down with carol burnett and company, the inside scoop on what it was like behind

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all-star guest list, "the carol burnett show" ran for 11 seasons and made household names out of burnett, vicki lawrence, and tim conway. there will be people like me who remember the show, who watch it for nostalgia purposes. but if you were going to have your kids watch it, i want you to sit down and watch this show, "the carol burnett show," it's kind of like what? >> well, i would hope that they would say we remember this show and we used to laugh when we were kids and we think you will still laugh. you'll get it. >> it was such fun. i mean, i'm surprised we got away with what we did. >> i would say please watch this, this is the end of a golden age of television and it was classic. >> the variety show earned more than two dozen emmy awards and captivated audiences with its sketches, musical numbers, and memorable characters. >> who was your favorite character that you played? >> i loved doing all the movie parodies. i really loved doing that. because i grew up in the '40s

and '50s going to the movies. >> scarlett. >> the gown is gorgeous. >> thank you. i saw it in the window and i just couldn't resist it. >> and then i guess my other favorites were mrs. wiggins, which tim created. >> tell me how mrs. wiggins came about. >> mrs. wiggins was just an incompetent fluke which was my secretary. >> she couldn't work the intercom. >> or the phone. >> or anything. >> don't press that button -- >> mr. tudball, how did that character come about? >> my grandparents were romanians so i heard a lot of romanian talk at dinner on sundays. talked like this and a lot of things that you never knew what you were saying. >> you think you understand the way this works here? >> sure. >> and then there was mama, who was originally written for carol burnett. >> where the hell you been? >> don't start up, mama. >> mama was written for you, two

of the writers on the show, both of whom hated their mothers. they wrote this beautiful homage to their dysfunctional family. carol would always read the script before we did and she read this beautiful sketch and said i want to be eunice. and she said i think vicki should play mama. and they were like but -- >> does mama still exist in your world? >> are you kidding me? she's on the road, lester. i got that gal out on the road doing her own show. >> another beloved member of the cast, the late harvey korman. >> thanks, buddy, i needed that. >> tim, you and harvey sometimes would be in these moments where it's like how are they keeping it together? and sometimes you wouldn't. >> harvey was a very poor performer, as we know. i don't know what he was thinking yet. my object in doing the show was to break up harvey. and for 11 years, i did that. >> want to see quarter to three?

>> the dentist. >> ah. well, harvey had never seen the novocain part of it, so he had no idea that i was going to immobilize myself with novocain. so when i punched my head, my arm, he actually wet his pants. if you watch the sketch very carefully, you can pretty much tell. >> you're kidding. >> no. >> the ground breaking show raised the bar for decades of comedians to come. and 45 years later, these icons are still proving they can deliver on queue. >> still got it? >> yeah. >> the ear? >> you don't want to hear that again. oh, okay. aahhhh! >> that will be enough. thank you.

>> the curmudgeon of the crowd. still got it. >> i was in the company of comedic genius there. the dvd box set to commemorate the 45th anniversary of "the carol burnett show" is now for sale. >> okay, christmas gift. >> just look at those clips, it's like wow, what a great show that was. >> smart comedy at the time. and you know when something is so special you're welcome get that dvd box set and you will laugh exactly like someone did those many years ago. >> nobody does that anymore. a lot more ahead on saturday morning. there's a lot of buzz surrounding ben affleck's newest movie "argo." could this be his next big oscar win? we'll take a sneak preview on "today" on nbc.

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good morning. it's 7:56 on this sathd, october 13th. here is a look at what we're working on this morning. a heads up for metro riders. expect some delays. trains will be single tracking along two sections of the red line between grovener and twin brook and gaul debt and fort to theon. everything should be back to normal by monday morning. it's the second day for a walk taking people 60 miles in three days. the susan g. komen three-day walk for breast cancer awareness continues today. today walkers make their way through much of northwest washington. organizers have public cheering stations set up in adams morgan this morning and dupont circle

this afternoon. storm team 4 meteorologi

before you head out let's find out how low the temperatures will go. >> they're plenty low in many of the western and northern suburbs early this morning, already starting to see a bit of a climb thanks to the sunshine getting out there. temperatures are still on the chilly side though if you're heading out for some early morning activities. a little bit of a bundle up factor. still 30 in martinsburg and frederick, maryland. 30 degrees in germantown this morning. 42 downtown washington. but still 32 in manassas and 35 in fairfax. it's going to be a chilly day today but with plenty of sunshine and nowhere near as much wind as yesterday. there will be a rather pleasant afternoon to be outside. highs today up near 62. tomorrow 75 degrees so a little hint of late fall warmth coming back. next chance for rain showers

rolls in on monday and the rest of the upcoming week looks very pleasant by october standards. richard, back to you. >> thanks. another news update in welcome back to "today," saturday morning, the 13th day of october, 2012. the crowds are waving hello to their friends and families back home, or maybe they're just trying to wake up. i choose the latter. we'll go back outside and join them in a bit. in the meantime, inside studio 1a, i'm lester holt along with tamron. coming up, there is now an active search for a killer in colorado after police confirm the body they found earlier this week is, in fact, that of 10-year-old jessica ridgeway. we'll get a live report in a moment. also ahead, britain's prince harry is in afghanistan and we're learning details about his tour of duty as he and members of his unit are fighting on the front lines. we'll have more on that. then is scandal is erupting

in what's usually a very quiet community in maine. prosecutors say it wasn't just dancing going on inside a local zumba studio. the instructor is now accused of running a large prostitution ring. and ben affleck's new movie "argo" is just hitting theaters, and there's already a lot of talk about it being one of the top contenders at the oscars this year. will this be affleck's next big thing? but first, with less than four weeks to go until the election, the stakes are higher than ever as president obama and governor romney prepare to face off in their second debate. on friday, a gunshot was fired into an obama campaign office in denver. nbc's ron mott is live along the campaign trail in youngstown, ohio, this morning with more on all of this. ron, good morning. >> reporter: hey, lester, good morning to you. they're getting ready for a paul ryan rally this morning here in ohio, which has become really a home away from home for both of these campaigns, as this state may ultimately decide who wins

this election. reunited again in ohio. >> nicely done, my friend. >> reporter: after what the romney campaign says was paul ryan's big debate win over joe biden in kentucky. >> there's one person you'd want to be with and it's this man right here. >> reporter: polls show the gap narrowing. >> i know you're under a lot of duress to make up for lost ground. >> reporter: and while it's debatable who the clear victor was in the vp debate, unlike mr. obama's widely panned first showdown with mitt romney, the vice president's fiery performance has increased calls for mr. obama to bring more passion to his second clash with governor romney next tuesday. >> there's no doubt that i can make a better case, which is why i'm so looking forward to tuesday. >> reporter: on friday, evidence perhaps of the sharp political divide in america, as the obama campaign confirmed a gunshot was fired into his denver campaign office. no one was injured, and in the

wake of the president's lackluster effort in that city ten days ago, which unsettled many democrats, some of the party's heaviest hitters seemed compelled to help him fight back. >> when mr. ryan said last night that governor romney was a car guy, i thought well, if they have an elevator stack of his counts, i guess he was. >> reporter: the dynamics of incumbent's two debates mirror those of george w. bush and vice president cheney. bush was considered the loser, creating an opening for cheney to come out swinging against john edwards in the vp debate. >> the first time i ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight. >> reporter: president bush ultimately won re-election, of course, the same result president obama is hoping for. now for fans of former president bill clinton and/or the boss bruce springsteen, you might want to head to the parma, ohio,

area this tuesday. those two will headline a rally for president obama. we're told the admission will be free. >> ron mott, thanks very much. let's get a check of the other top stories of the day. tom is at the news desk. >> we begin with some dramatic vide from colorado. it shows what used to be a single family home completely destroyed by what officials believe was a natural gas explosion. a woman and four children were hurt, but luckily their injuries were nonlife threatening. the children were able to get out on their own but the mom had to be pulled to safety. several surrounding houses have been declared uninhabitable. a los angeles homeowner got an unexpected visit from the lapd. an lapd patrol call not only ended up in the front yard of a home but also on top of another car after it crashed into a fence. the three officers inside were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. they were responding to a gang-related backup call. it appears the driver hit a curb and lost control of the police car. also in l.a., after zipping

millions of miles around the globe, the space shuttle endeavor is moving at a mere 2 miles per hour through los angeles today. the retired shuttle is being carried on a 160-wheel flat bed from los angeles international airport to the california science center, where it will become the centerpiece of a new exhibit. thousands of picture taking spectators are lined up on the 12-mile route. new york city's restriction on soup-sized sugary drinks is going to be fought in the courts. a lawsuit has been filed challenging mayor bloomberg to ban the sale of the drinks in restaurants and other venues. the suit was filed by the american soft drink industry with backing from several new york restaurants and business groups. the ban is set to begin in march. and the washington nationals brought winning baseball back to the nation's capital, but they won't be advancing to the national league championship series. they were one out from moving on when their historic season came to an end friday night with a

9-7 loss to the cardinals. the cardinals will play the giants in san francisco on sunday. back to lester and tamron. you know the big story here in new york was that the yankees won last night. they'll face off against the tigers for the american league championship series. they did it with a-rod on the bench, the highest paid player in baseball. wow. >> does that make me a sore loser? all i could hear was texas rangers, texas rangers. >> wow, you're tough. you're tough. all right, go team. maria la rosa is outside on the plaza. a little brisk out there, but nonetheless, a beautiful day. >> we want to say an early happy birthday to you. what's your name, where are you from? >> samantha roberts from ohio. >> she's cold. it's not so much the cold in the central part of the country, you can see the full area in red from des moines down it del rio. the heightened risk for

tornadoes we think is more like western missouri into northern texas. the radar is lit up already. lots of heavy rainfall. a lot going on. a lot of college match ups in the area as well. make sure you get a way to get more as you're out and about. to the east of that system a chilly start in the northeast with record lows. should be nice in the southeast and more rain coming to areas in the pacific northwest. not a bad thing. it's been kind of dry up there recently. that is a look at the weather across the country. here's a look at what you can expect. >> good saturday morning. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell. we've been off to a sub freezing cold start in many places out to the north and west of washington this morning. still below freezing now northern montgomery county all the way up through frederick county, maryland. then westbound into the shenandoah valley where winchester and martinsburg are still only at 30 degrees. here's your forecast for today. plenty of sunshine. staying cool though. highs today into the upper 50s and low 60s. windy and much warmer thank you to our servicemen,

and yours coming home in six months. >> yes. he's coming from africa. hi, ian! >> thanks so much. tamron, back to you. there is heartache in colorado this morning after a week-long search for a missing 10-year-old girl ended in entouragedy. authorities say the body they found wednesday is that of jessica ridgeway, who was last seen leaving her home last week. nbc's leanne gregg is outside westminster, colorado, police department with more. good morning, leanne. >> reporter: good morning, tamron. today this community is in shock about the horror of the crime as the search for jessica becomes a manhunt for her killer. the worst possible news after days of hope and prayers. >> a great of sorrow in my heart. i regret to inform you that the body that was found has been positively identified as jessica ridgeway. >> reporter: a body described by authorities as not intact was found in this open space park less than ten miles from

jessica's home. dna tests revealed the news no one wanted. police say the 10-year-old was abducted walking to school eight days ago. as for suspects, no word from authorities other than to say jessica's family members have been ruled out. >> there is a predator at large in our community. >> reporter: the family did not release a statement after learning of jessica's death, but police say they are devastated. relatives in missouri are among those grieving. >> i can't imagine how anybody could do this to a child. >> reporter: the investigation now turns to finding the person who took jessica. after receiving more than 1,500 tips, authorities say they plan to search more homes in the girl's neighborhood, use expert profilers, and ask the public to report suspicious behaviors of people they know or have come in contact with. >> we are doing everything within our power to apprehend that individual, and we are committed to doing everything within our power to keep our community and especially our

children, our most precious commodity, safe. >> reporter: as a makeshift memorial grows, neighbors on edge mourn the loss. >> i have a son, you know? it's like you feel for this family. >> reporter: and now a shift in the search and a hope for justice. >> our focus has changed from a search for jessica to a mission of justice for jessica. >> reporter: authorities say they will not stop until they find jessica's killer, and they also say that they will not provide any further details about the investigation for fear it could jeopardize the case. tamron? >> thank you very much. clint vanzant is an nbc news analyst and former fbi profiler. good morning. >> good morning. >> you heard leanne and the authorities say they will do everything they can to bring in the killer. but where do they start with clues here? >> well, one of the things they've done already is they've looked at over a thousand

registered sex offenders to find out where they've been. realize that this body this grizzly find that they have found concerning the victim and what happened to her, not only did they identify her by dna, but they'll be looking for dna, hairs, fibers, any csi type of issue. in a case like this, you've got multiple crime scenes. you've got the five-minute window where the victim was likely taken off the street. you've got the vehicle she was transported in. you've got a location where she may or may not have been held. you've got the body disposal site. the authorities have to find each of these. but this is a race against time. this is someone who committed a horribly grizzly crime, and unfortunately, who is fully capable of doing something like this again. >> you bring up the fact jessica was only a few minutes down the block from her home. would that mn someone could have been following her? how does a crime like this happen so close to where this child was living? >> well, it is very close.

when you realize that she leaves her house at 8:30, she would have been within view of her mother for about a minute. she was supposed to meet a friend within five minutes, so that window of opportunity to take her is probably no more than three or four minutes. so law enforcement, the fbi who's involved, they'll be looking at all the house along the street. they'll be looking at people who travel up and down that road at that same type of day. you know, two possibilities. she was a random victim of a predator, or number two, as you suggest, this is somebody who had been stalking her, who noticed that a preferential victim that he or they were looking for walked that street every day and they took this opportunity to take this precious little girl away from us. >> and it's hard to discuss, the entire story is heart breaking, but the condition of her body, not being intact. what does that tell you, your experience as a profiler? >> well this is someone, unfortunately, who's been around. there's an element of criminal activity on this part.

this is a sociopath, a psycho path to do something to this little girl. but when you, as the police suggest, take off body parts, remove them, that's done to confound law enforcement as they try to identify the victim. it's done in a way to help dispose of the victim's remains. so who do you look for in a case like this? maybe a hunter. someone who's used to doing something like that. someone who's been around knives, instruments. it will be up to the authorities, the investigators to determine what exactly was done to this victim, and that will help to identify. in the meantime, they'll be looking at the traditional cell phone records. whose cell phone was used where the victim disappeared? where her backpack was found and where her body was found. if we can find those three things in common with one cell phone, that could very easily lead to the killer in this case. >> the authorities and the community have vowed to find the

person responsible for taking jessica's life. clint vanzant, thank you so much. still to come, a scandal that's rocked a small community. the latest on the zumba instructor accused of running a prostitution ring in her studio. but next, the buzz around ben affleck's new movie "argo" right after these messages. f. and every day since, we've worked hard to keep it. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help people and businesses who were affected, and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open for everyone to enjoy -- and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. we've shared what we've learned with governments and across the industry so we can all produce energy more safely. i want you to know, there's another commitment bp takes just as seriously: our commitment to america. bp supports nearly two-hundred-fifty thousand jobs in communities across the country. we hired three thousand people just last year. bp invests more in america than in any other country.

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the new ben affleck film "argo" hit theaters friday, and already people are talking about its chances at the academy awards. >> tom is here with more. tom? >> it's an action movie based on a real life story, and for affleck, it could be oscar gold all over again. "argo," the new movie about a fake movie that helped disguise a very real escape. >> the hostages went out a back exit. >> where are sna. >> the canadian ambassador's house. >> it's also getting a lot of very real oscar buzz for its director and star ben affleck. >> everybody knows hollywood. >> and the film that's getting

big attention from the intelligence community and critics. >> it's the kind of movie that's going to open nicely and hold on very well throughout the weeks and months ahead. >> the six americans slipped out of iran. >> "argo" is based on the true story of an undercover cia mission to rescue six american hostages in teheran during the iranian revolution, all under the cloak of scouting a fake movie. >> i need you to help me make a fake movie. >> affleck plays tony mendez, the real life cia operative who carried out the daring rescue. >> i was a little taken aback, having somebody like ben affleck saying my name is tony mendez. >> "argo" forced the now 40-year-old affleck to leave the comforts of beantown. the two previous films he's directed were both made in his hometown of boston as was his breakthrough role in "good will hunting," which earned him a screen writing oscar back in 1998. >> tomorrow i'm going to wake up and i'll be 50. >> so it definitely was a little bit more outside his comfort

zone, but he definitely rose to the occasion and directed what most critics are saying is the best movie he's done. >> and as is "good will hunting," the oscar buzz is building. >> he will definitely get a best picture nomination for "argo" and quite possibly best director as well. >> accolades for an actor turned director that could help make "argo" this year's blockbuster help. >> i think my little story is the only thing between you and a gun to your head. >> quite a while to go between now and the oscars but some saying affleck could be up for best picture, actor, and director. >> why is it called "argo"? >> some say it's from a knock knock joke, out not suitable fo "today." i'll tell you at the commercial. >> why don't you google or tweet it out? all right, thank you, tom. the mystery continues.

still ahead, prince harry on the front lines in afghanistan. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today," we've all heard joy bauer tell america how to eat healthy. but do her own kids take her advice? we'll find out when we invade her home. >> we'll catch up with big anne. i love her. yes, i do. wouldn't it be cool if we took the nissan altima and reimagined nearly everything in it? gave it greater horsepower and best in class 38 mpg highway... advanced headlights... and zero gravity seats? yeah, that would be cool. ♪ introducing the completely reimagined nissan altima. it's our most innovative altima ever. nissan. innovation that excites.

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good morning everyone. i'm angie goff. it is 8:26 on this saturday, october 13th. here are some of the big headlines we're following this morning. the historic playoff run for the washington nationals is over this morning. in a heart breaking loss where the nats held a lead until the final inning. the nats get knocked out of the playoffs with a 9-7 loss to the st. louis cardinals. the cards go on to the second round of the playoffs while the nationals go home for the winter. we'll have all the highlights and reaction coming up on news 4 today at 9:00 a.m. as for the redskins, they'll most likely have robert griffin iii back under center on sunday against the vikings. rg iii took part in a complete practice yesterday and is officially listed as questionable on the injury

report because of a concussion. head coach mike shanahan says if griffin passes his test, then he will start. the redskins play minnesota at fedex field at 4:30. police in alexandria are trying to figure out who is behind three violent sexual assaults in just a few weeks. the latest one happened thursday night near the intersection of van dorn street and courtney avenue right after a 20-year-old woman got off of the bus. two other attacks happened about two miles away but aren't believed to be connected. we'll get a check on your forecast right after the break. stay with us.

we've got a bitter start to our saturday. tell us a warm up is on the way. >> andrea, a warm up is on the way. back to you. no, it's going to be a beautiful day today. we are off to a very cold start as you mentioned though. a lot of places back down below the freezing mark for the first time this fall season. we're already above freezing at leesburg but still below freezing in frederick, maryland and martinsburg, west virginia. right on the freezing mark in manassas and winchester. there's your forecast for today. plenty of sunshine. temperatures today climbing into the upper 50s and low 60s. if you need it a little warmer than that don't worry. it is going to be much warmer tomorrow. temperatures back into the mid 70s. perfect weather for the redskins game. >> thanks, chuck.

we have a full 90 minutes of news, weather, and sports at 9:00. more of the "today" show right after this short break. we are back. pretty chilly saturday morning, october 13th, 2012. we want to say a big thank you to our crowd for braving the cold weather. a lot of people celebrating birthdays. i'm tamron hall, here with lester holt. still to come this half-hour, this is quite a story, i have to admit. a zumba -- you know, the exercise instructor, in a small community in maine is charged with running a prostitution ring out of her dance studio. and news of her so called client list may be made public. it is safe to say this is all the talk of that town. >> yeah, her people have

t-shirts that say "i'm not on the list." prince harry is taking his combat role quite seriously, as he should. we're learning much more about the prince's deployment in afghanistan as he fights on the front lines in that war. and i love this. we're going to actually take you inside nutritionist joy bauer's kitchen to see if her family really takes the advice that she dishes out to americans. do her kids follow her guidelines? it's one of those fly on the wall practice what you preach things. so we'll see if those kids are keeping in line. >> what you don't want to do is open her refrigerator and see junk food. i wouldn't expect it. >> i think that would be awesome. cheetos falling out. >> i have a funny feeling that's not what we'd find. but we will search and see. you may recognize her as one of the vh 1's reality show, big anne. what you don't know is i've

decided it's an intervention for tamron because she is a reality show junkie. >> i want to go as honey boo boo child as halloween. is that so wrong? >> we have got time -- here's how your reality tv is impacting me. >> the intervention takes place. let's check in with maria la rosa, who is also a reality tv show junkie. "ice loves cocoa." she loves that show. >> let's talk about the weather. it's going to be a very active day across the central plains and the midwest today with a threat of the severe weather. this threat is coming on through. we have a threat for the g definitely a day to make sure you know where you're going to be later this afternoon and you get the warnings. out ahead of it a nice day. off to a chilly start in the

northeast, mid-atlantic. some record lows but we'll see the sunshine later today. by tomorrow our system pushes into the ohio valley the area in red. that is the severe risk tomorrow. lower tornado risk but still gusty winds and hail the primary threat. it's drying out and quieting down across the west except the pacific northwest where you continue to see the chance of showers. that's a look at the weather across the country. here is a look at what you can expect. a good saturday morning to you. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell. there is not a single cloud in our sky first thing on your saturday. it's cold though. temperatures in the 30s and 40s in many spots back down below the freezing mark a few hours ago some places still below freezing now. we're 42 in washington currently with the bright sunshine coming through. and it's going to be a great day to be outside today. nowhere near as breezy as it was yesterday. highs today upper 50s and low 60s. and you can get your local weather any time at weather.com. any football fans here? all right, well, good thing we have your forecast ready.

we've got the packers in town against the houston texans at reliant stadium. of course, they have that dome. a few showers possible and thunderstorms as well. but we're going 77 to 81 degrees for kickoff. it's the story making waves at an upscale beach front community. there's an alleged prostitution scandal that involves a zumba instructor and a list of up to 100 clients that could soon be made public. here's nbc's michelle franzen. >> reporter: it's not the type of scandal you'd expect to find in a quiet new england town. allegations of a prostitution ring, and the wait to find fout the list of clients some described as well-known figures in the community will be made public. >> people are chattering they just want names. >> reporter: names of clients in a so called black book, accused of paying for sex with local zumba dance teacher alexis wright at her studio in maine. residents aren't just talking. some are going all out buying

t-shirts that say "i'm not on the client list." in court this week, the fitness instructor and mother pleaded not guilty to 106 counts of prostitution, tax evasion, theft, and privacy violation. >> she has a son that she's caring for and for whom she's tried to make life as normal as possible. and like wise, the individuals who are on this alleged list have the same issue. >> reporter: an attorney presenting two of the accused clients filed an injunction and lost to keep police from releasing the names, but an appeal is pending. >> the mere naming of them -- again, once the horse is out of the barn, the damage is done. >> reporter: court documents revealed details of the investigation, including hours of secretly recorded video of sexual encounters and video of multiple sexual activities between wright and her business partner mark strong. she's charged with 59 counts of promoting prostitution and privacy violation. his attorney says strong is

innocent. >> they're inside the studio and she was naked. but that is not a crime under maine law, nor is it prostitution. >> reporter: the case has drawn national attention, much like other high profile prostitution cases, from the soccer mom madam, to new york former governor eliot spitzer. >> whenever you have media attention as a defense attorney, the problem is it's very difficult to plea bargain when everybody is watching the case. >> reporter: but in this small town, experts say a case like this could have a bigger and more damaging effect. >> this is like the 2012 scarlet letter. it's the shame that will live on and be i think very hard for the community to deal with. >> reporter: for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. >> and now here's tamron. for the past month, prince harry has been stationed in afghanistan as an apache helicopter pilot. and we are now learning that his unit has been on the frontlines.

anna bell roberts has details. >> reporter: prince harry didn't go to afghanistan for show. he's right there on the front lines. today we have confirmation he's had multiple engagements with the taliban on the battlefield. he provides covering fire from apache attack helicopters on emergency rescue missions. >> the fire power they deliver, the support they bring to the battlefield is at an incomparable level. >> reporter: harry has trained long and hard for this. even as child, it was clear he was destined for the military. his first trip to afghanistan five years ago lasted ten weeks. cut short when it became public. >> it's not painful to be here. you're doing a job, to be with such fantastic people. >> reporter: but as we know well, there is another side to the prince. he likes to party. before he headed off to afghanistan, he got caught in las vegas with his pants down -- literally. i think prince harry is already a very popular figure.

sometimes his mistakes turn into his positives. people look at the las vegas escapades and think it was a soldier letting off steam before a second deployment. i think people do love this image of him really being exactly as he seems. you look at harry and you think what you see is what you get. no doubt, harry had to fight hard to be allowed to return to afghanistan with members of his family and the military trying to dissuade him. and now he's there, he's just one of boys. a taliban attack last month where harry is based raised concerns he could be a target. >> i don't believe that prince harry, by his presence there, engages other soldiers. i also believe that although it would be a real tragedy for prince harry to be killed or wounded, his life is worth no more and no less than any other soldier. >> reporter: prince harry has been anointed man of the year by one british magazine. the dashing portrait a far cry from the reality of his current life on the front lines. but when he comes home in three months, he'll find tales of his

tour have fanned the flames of his popularity. up next, she helps us eat healthy, but does the advice work in her own home? we'll go right inside joy bauer's kitchen. walgreens, we e all kinds of things, especially germs. that's why you always get your flu shot. this year, walgreens will do you one better and check if there are any other immunizations you might need -- absolutely free, no appointment necessary. preparing you for years of unplanned sharing to come. at walgreens and take care clinics, we've got all kinds of ways to arm yourself for flu season, and they're all right here... at the corner of happy and healthy.

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this morning, we go inside joy bauer's kitchen. >> for years, she's been dishing out healthy living tips right here on "today," but do the same tips apply at home? we visited their home to help. >> the bauer philosophy is a philosophy that i tout to everybody else. anything goes as long as it's portion control. we go out of our way to eat healthy 90% of time and 10% of time is definitely wiggle room. mornings are crazy, especially when i have the show. i cannot start my day without a cup of black coffee. no matter how early in the morning it is, i have to make their lunches. and they all don't eat the same

things. that would be too easy. ayden is the only one that doesn't mind me putting the little hearts. i multi-task. i can ipad my way through an entire hour workout, seriously. i think eating 100% healthy is overrated, and that's a crazy thing for me to say. here's my ice cream! what i try to do is stock the house with as much healthful food as i can. i love condiments, spicy condiments. love yogurts, whether it's plain or flavored. tons of cheese. always the reduced fat. this drawer is always busting because this is my vegetable drawer. i always have fruit. i love to take one whole egg and whisk it with two to three egg whites, then you get a voluminous omelet and you drive down the fat and cholesterol. in the freezer, you'll always

find a ton of nuts. now you'll see what's really behind closed doors. so this is my snack shelf. and this is definitely the most challenging. if you're strategic and you really read the ingredient list and the labels, you can find a lot of stuff that your kids love and you feel good about putting into their bodies. my kids are very, very different from each other. jesse is selective about what she eats. cole literally came out of my belly craving i think ifs like broccoli and omega 3 rich sardines. i mean, crazy. he's a nutrition's dream. ayden, who's 12, has this ferocious tweet tooth. >> i like candy. a lot. >> but fortunately, as she's getting older, i think she's taming it more so on her own. >> we don't really have that much unhealthy food in this house. we grew to like healthy foods.

>> there's a few foods that you will never find in the bauer house. regular soda, hot dogs, white bread, and fried foods. now, ice cream, doughnuts, chocolate, they like that stuff. >> yeah, we're her kids, we're not her clients, she always says. >> i think it's really important to get kids involved in cooking, because it gives them an appreciation for good, wholesome food. >> she's like a food magician. >> so tonight i'm going to teach ayden how to make turkey tacos. right? >> oh yeah. >> i like to throw in any single vegetable i can. >> when i first started dating ian, i made him get rid of the sugar cereal, the buffalo wings. >> i still sneak it in every now and then. >> occasionally. meanwhile, i get all the kudos in the house for these delicious meals, but really, he is an awesome cook. >> just turkey chili, that's it.

>> but it's world famous amongst our family. everybody loves your turkey chili. turkey tacos. i think it's important for people to know that we're regular people like everybody else trying to do the best we can when it comes to health. >> i feel like we raided her place. you're such a smart nutritionist. let's catch heifr in the act! >> you have three beautiful children. one of them with us standing by, ayden. how do you teach them moderation? because you've still got ice cream and snacks in the house. there she is. ayden! how do you teach them moderation? >> i think ever since my kids were in grade school, they know that they have the opportunity for two fun foods, that's what i call them, each and every day. so they get something in their lunch bag, they pick whatever they want. it could be chips, popcorn, chocolate, could be a couple

cookies, and they also get a desserty food after dinner. because we've always been appropriate with the portions, at this point it's second nature to them. like they know how much they're supposed to eat. i also think a big piece of this is that because they know that they have the opportunity for something the next day and the next day, it helps them resist the urge to overeat it. because of course, they're normal, like adults, like other kids. they want bigger portions. but they stop themselves. >> i couldn't help as the camera was passing, looking at what's in there. what are the things at the bauer household, the foods that you can't live without? >> certain fruits and vegetables. we have got tons of fresh and frozen. lean ground turkey, because i use it in all my recipes. >> you don't use ground beef? >> no. we hardly ever cook with red meat. also things like nuts. >> i saw you keep the almonds in the refrigerator, but a lot of people still debate, are nuts completely healthy for you especially if you're trying to lose weight? >> nuts are super healthy for

you. they are caloric, but one or two handfuls every single day totally fine. i like them in the freezer because they're crunchy, they're delicious and it also keeps them fresher for longer. >> how do you motivate the kids outside the household? it's one thing inside, but they're teenagers, and the group wants to go to the fast-food place. >> and full disclosure, my kids like things like doughnuts and bakery cupcakes and even french fries, but i make it occasional, and we just control the portions, and i think the most important thing for parents to know is control what you can control in the house, and then let them be independent when they're out and about. you know, everything is okay, you just want to keep it in moderation. also talk your kids' language. my younger kids are big sportsmen, so i talk about being faster on the field and stronger. jesse tells me that walking makes her fab, so we talk about radiant skin and hair. >> when was the last time you had takeout?

>> a couple nights aeg. we ordered in chinese. steamed vegetables, sauce on the side. anything works. up next, from reality star to author, big anne from "mob wives." she talks about her rise to fame. first, this is "today" on nbc. [ female announcer ] it's one of the hardest decisions

a family can make...

realizing a nursing home is the only choice. for many middle class families, medicaid is the only way to afford the care. but as a governor, mitt romney raised nursing home fees eight times. and as president, his budget cuts medicaid by one-third and burdens families with the cost of nursing home care. we have a president who won't let that happen. [ obama ] i'm barack obama and i approved this message. for big anne, bigger is definitely better. she's the breakout star from "mob wives." these days she has her own show and is sharing her advice on living large in a new book. >> reporter: it takes a certain somebody to be known by a first name only. there's madonna, cher, prince, and now ange.

>> big ange is back. >> reporter: she calls herself the no drama momma. fans call her the breakout star of "mob wives" and after spending a day with her at her bar in staten island, i'd call her a character. >> we love you, big ange. >> from the nails to those lips. and that infectious persona, big ange defines the term living large and now she's written a book about it, appropriately titled "bigger is better." >> i like everything big. big diamonds, big houses, big guys, big lips. >> >> the book is filled with anecdotes of what ang says she knows best. styles, family, and fried veal. but life wasn't always laughs for this reality star. as the niece of notorious mobster salvatore lombardi, she too has a past with the law on a

drug conspiracy charge. >> there was a time i was really struggling. >> reporter: but she says those days are long gone. from the start of the show, if we were to go back two years, how has your life changed the most? >> did a 360. i never change. >> reporter: what did change, her popularity. and fans can't get enough of her. >> i love you. >> it's nice to meet you. >> i'm like the president. hi. >> reporter: so what's the appeal? >> they say i make them happy. they smile when they see me. >> reporter: with a booming bar business, a new salon and now a spin-off show, for big ang, bigger really is better. >> never in a million years would i think this would happen.

>> lester is nowhere to be found to talk about this. we'll be right back. but first, these messages. [ male announcer ] how do you make america's favorite recipes? just begin with america's favorite soups. bring out chicken broccoli alfredo. or best-ever meatloaf. go to campbellskitchen.com for recipes, plus a valuable coupon. campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do.

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only at walmart. what are they fitting, aliens? ♪ ooh, yeah, ooh-ooh, yeah ♪ ooh, yeah, ooh-ooh, yeah ♪ i love ya ♪ ooh, yeah, ooh-ooh, yeah [ female announcer ] introducing new special k popcorn chips. with 28 buttery chips for 120 calories, you can bring the flavor of the movies home and still stay on track. freedom to enjoy. what will you gain when you lose? find them in the cracker aisle. that does it for this saturday. thanks, maria and tom. >> before we go, i want to give a big shoutout to the new weekend team debuting in charleston, south carolina. haley hernandez, who used to work with me at nightly news. so welcome. glad to have you guys on the air. that's going to do it for us. thanks for watching, everyone.

you really watch that show? good morning everyone. i'm angie goff. >> i'm richard jordan. straight ahead on news 4 today. >> makes the catch and the cardinals head to their seventh

nlcs since 2000! >> the nats knocked out. this morning reaction from the team, the fans after a game that came down to the very last inning. plus the emergency call that did this. how a police cruiser ended up barreling straight for the front door of a house. >> i'm storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell. it is below freezing in a few neighborhoods. how long will the october chill last? the forecast coming up. >> td bank customers a warning this morning. straight ahead the cyber crime that could target your personal account. >> also ahead holiday shopping in october. what's best to buy now and buy later. >> this morning we've got expert advice. all that and more when you join us

hi everyone. good morning. i'm richard jordan. >> i'm angie goff. welcome to news 4 today. it is saturday, october 13th, 2012. >> in the span of just a few innings the nationals' postseason dreams disappeared. nats fans are still shaking their head as to the bizarre ending to their team's season. >> hours later still burning. news 4's dan hellie talked to the players just minutes after their shocking elimination. >> good morning, guys. you know, it couldn't have started any better or ended any worse for the washington nationals last night. they've had sparse offensive production the